They were looking for a shoplifter and a guy with an outstanding warrant.
In two incidents last week, Plymouth police didn’t find what they were looking for — instead they allegedly discovered crack, fentanyl, a counterfeit $100 bill, and caches of pills, according to police reports.
In all, four suspects were arrested and arraigned in Plymouth District Court — except one, who didn’t show up for his hearing.
On August 7, Officer Andrew Whelan, investigating a separate shoplifting incident at Walmart, began monitoring the movements of Derek Loonan, who allegedly went into to the men’s room after removing a price tag from a hat. He remained in it for a while before Whelan approached him.
Loonan said he was waiting at the store for money to arrive, the police report said.
He gave Whelan permission to search his bag, according to the officer, who found what he believed to be crystal methamphetamine.
After arresting Loonan for alleged drug possession, Whelan searched his pockets and found a breath mint container with more than 85 pills, he said, including Adderall, Xanax, clonidine and gabapentin.
The man had prescriptions for some of the pills, but not for others, including the gabapentin, Xanax and amphetamine.
Loonan, 37, of Centerville, was charged with possession of six different types of pills — all misdemeanors. He was not arrested for shoplifting.
But he did not appear for his arraignment at Plymouth District Court on Aug. 8. A warrant was expected to be issued for his arrest.
In a text message to the Independent, Loonan said he did nothing wrong. The police had no right to search him, he said, and he didn’t show up for his arraignment because he couldn’t afford a good lawyer.
He said he bought merchandise in the store and was waiting in the men’s room for a bank to approve his purchase of a phone.
On Aug. 11, three officers were patrolling Sandwich Street, near the Plymouth Fire Department’s headquarters when they noticed – and pulled over – a familiar Range Rover traveling north.
Police believed the car belonged to Richard Burton, who was wanted on drug charges and had an active warrant.
It was Burton’s car, but the driver told police Burton wasn’t around — he was in a detox program, the police report said.
The driver, Megan Moore, agreed to roll down the window, enabling the officers to spot drug paraphernalia in an open dashboard compartment, police alleged.
Police said they saw syringes, needles, and other drug paraphernalia.
When police ordered everyone out of the car, they witnessed a passenger, Elisa Cameron, allegedly use her teeth to remove a bag from her cleavage and try to swallow it.
After an officer pinched the sides of her cheeks, she allegedly coughed up a brown bag containing multiple smaller bags with white powder inside them.
When officer Patrick Hicks asked her what was in the bag, the police reports say, she answered: “Fentanyl.”
While searching Cameron, police allegedly also found a small container with white rocks inside her bra.
Because police thought she might have ingested fentanyl, Cameron was taken to Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital-Plymouth, the police report said.
Meanwhile, police also searched the two passengers in the car.
One of them, James Orlowski, 44, of Plymouth, had pleaded guilty in June to possession of cocaine, and had multiple previous convictions for drug offenses.
He was in the back seat of the Range Rover on the driver’s side.
Police allegedly found pipes where he was sitting, including one with chalky residue, loose pills, and a counterfeit $100 bill. On the floor near his seat, they say they found two loaded needles and a dose of Narcan.
Orlowski was arrested and taken to Beth Israel Deaconess because he was having difficulty speaking and was losing his balance, police wrote.
A further search of the car turned up a scale, small bags with white powder, and an assortment of pills, according to police reports.
They also allegedly found a pipe with “heavy white residue” in Moore’s wallet.
Back at the station, police confirmed the presence of various, drugs, including cocaine and assorted pills such as gabapentin, clonodine and Xanax.
Police also weighed the fentanyl contained in the bag that Cameron allegedly tried to swallow. It contained 13.7 grams — more than the 10 grams required for a trafficking charge.
Cameron, Moore, and Orlowski all pleaded not guilty at their arraignments Monday in Plymouth District Court.
Neither they nor their lawyer, Lauren Baker, could be reached for comment.
Cameron is facing nine charges, including trafficking in fentanyl, possession of crack and several other drugs, and possession with intent to distribute cocaine.
She was ordered held by Plymouth District Court judge Shelby Smith until a dangerousness hearing on Aug. 19.
Orlowski was charged with possession of cocaine, possession of three types of pills, and possession of a counterfeit note.
Because Orlowski’s record was “replete with convictions for similar offenses,” Smith set bail at $500.
Moore, who was charged with possession of cocaine, was released on personal recognizance.
Andrea Estes can be reached at andrea@plymouthindependent.org.